Clematisplant named &#39;Stefan Franczak&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Clematis hybrid  named ‘STEFAN FRANCZAK’ is disclosed, characterized by extremely floriferous plants producing blue-violet, medium size flowers, with undulating margins, and light yellow stamens. Plants bloom over a long period and exhibit compact growth. The new cultivar is a  Clematis  typically suited for ornamental container and landscape use.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES

Clematis hybrid

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘STEFAN FRANCZAK’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new Clematis cultivar is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the inventor, Szczepan Marczynski, in Pruszkow, Poland. Theobjective of the breeding program was to produce new compact Clematisvarieties with novel or new colors. The cross resulting in this newvariety was made during 2004.

The seed parent is an unpatented, Clematis hybrid proprietary seedling,named ‘132-99’. The pollen parent is the unpatented, Clematis‘Warszawska Nike’. The new variety was identified as a potentiallyinteresting selection in 2006, at a greenhouse in Pruszkow, Poland.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar ‘STEFAN FRANCZAK’ by vegetativetip cuttings was first performed during 2007 , at a greenhouse inPruszkow, Poland. Subsequent propagation has shown that the uniquefeatures of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type in 8successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘STEFAN FRANCZAK’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, day length, and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘STEFAN FRANCZAK.’ Thesecharacteristics in combination distinguish ‘STEFAN FRANCZAK’ as a newand distinct Clematis cultivar:

1. Extremely floriferous plants.

2. Blue-Violet medium size flowers, with undulating margins and lightyellow stamens.

3. Free flowering habit.

4. Compact plant growth, reaching 1.7 to 2 meters tall.

5. Long blooming period.

PARENTAL COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘STEFAN FRANCZAK’ are similar to plants ofthe seed parent in most horticultural characteristics, however, plantsof the new cultivar ‘STEFAN FRANCZAK’ differ in the following:

1. Medium size, light blue-violet single flowers. The seed parent haslarge, white semi double flowers.

2. Undulating tepal margins. The seed parent has flat tepal margins.

Plants of the new cultivar ‘STEFAN FRANCZAK’ are similar to plants ofthe pollen parent in most horticultural characteristics, however, plantsof the new cultivar ‘STEFAN FRANCZAK’ differ in the following;

1. Blue-violet flowers. The pollen parent has purple-violet flowers.

2. Undulating tepal margins. The pollen parent has flat tepal margins.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘STEFAN FRANCZAK’ can be compared to theknown commercial variety Clematis hybrid ‘Rhapsody’, unpatented. TheClematis varieties have similar flower color and produce similar amountsof tepals. ‘STEFAN FRANCZAK’ differs from ‘Rhapsody’ in the following:

1. Different shade of Blue-violet flowers. The comparator has darker andmore purple toned flowers.

2. Undulating tepal margins. The comparator has flat tepal margins.

3. Light blue to white colored lines down the tepal center. Thecomparator has a solid colored tepal.

Plants of the new cultivar ‘STEFAN FRANCZAK’ can be compared to theknown commercial variety Clematis ‘Sweet Summer Love’ U.S. Plant Pat.No. 24,044. The Clematis varieties have similar flower color and producesimilar amounts of tepals. ‘STEFAN FRANCZAK’ differs from the comparatorin the following:

1. Six to eight tepals. The comparator has 4 tepals

2. Larger flower size.

3. Tepals edges curved inward. The comparator tepal edges curvedslightly outward.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph in FIG. 1 illustrates in full color typicalflowers and foliage of ‘STEFAN FRANCZAK’ grown outdoors in Pruszkow,Poland. This plant is approximately 3 years old, grown outdoors. Thephotograph was taken using conventional techniques and although colorsmay appear different from actual colors due to light reflectance it isas accurate as possible by conventional photographic techniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart 1995, except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observationsand measurements describe ‘STEFAN FRANCZAK’ plants grown outdoors inPruszkow, Poland. The growing temperature ranged from approximately 15°C. to 18° C. at night to 18° C. to 27° C. during the day. No artificiallight, photoperiodic treatments or chemical treatments were given to theplants. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typicalflowering types.

-   Botanical classification: Clematis hybrid ‘STEFAN FRANCZAK’-   Age of the plant described: Approximately 3 years old-   Propagation:    -   -   Typical method.—Stem cuttings.        -   Time to initiate rooting.—Approximately 10 days at 18-24° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted plantlet: 20-30 days at 18-24° C.        -   Root description.—Moderate density, moderate branching, and            medium thickness, fleshy in texture.        -   Root color.—Near RHS Grey-orange 165B.        -   Root diameter.—100-150 cm.-   Plant:    -   -   Growth habit.—Perennial climbing vine.        -   Height.—Approximately 200-250 cm.        -   Plant spread.—Approximately 150-200 cm.        -   Crop time to flower.—1-2 years.        -   Growth rate.—150-200 cm per year.        -   Branching characteristics.—Opposite facing, basal branching.        -   Stem length.—Approximately 100-150 cm.        -   Diameter of stem.—Approximately 0.2 to 0.4 cm.        -   Stem color.—Young, near RHS Greyed-orange 177A Mature, near            RHS Greyed-orange 175B.        -   Lateral stem texture.—Ribbed.        -   Number of lateral branches.—4-5.        -   Number of leaves per lateral branch.—20 to 30.        -   Internode length.—Approximate range 7 cm to 15 cm.-   Foliage:    -   -   Leaf.—Arrangement: Opposite, single and ternate Overall Leaf            Length: Average 10-15 cm Overall Leaf Diameter: Average 3-8            cm Shape of blade: Elliptic, variable, some entirely            elliptic, some 2 and 3 lobed. Apex: Acute Base: Rounded            Attachment: Stalked Margin: Entire and undulating Texture of            both surfaces: Glabrous Color: Young foliage upper side:            Near RHS Yellow-green 144A Young foliage under side: Near            RHS Yellow-green 146C Mature foliage upper side: Near RHS            Yellow-green 147A Mature foliage under side: Near RHS            Yellow-green147B. Venation: Type: Palmate Venation color            upper side: Near RHS Yellow-green 144A Venation color under            side: Near RHS Yellow-green 146C.        -   Petiole.—Length: Average range 4-10 cm. Diameter:            Approximately 0.1 cm Texture: Smooth Color: Upper: Near RHS            Greyed-purple 183A Lower: Near RHS Yellow-green 144B.-   Flower:    -   -   Bloom period.—Natural Season: Summer. Many flowers produced            during June through July. During September a second            flowering occurs, with less flowers.        -   Flower type.—Single, rotate flower with tepals slightly            overlapping.        -   Flower aspect.—Upward or outward facing, mainly flat.        -   Rate of flower opening.—Approximately 1 -2 days from bud to            fully opened flower.        -   Flower longevity on plant.—Approximately 10-14 days, after            fully opened. Partly self-cleaning.        -   Quantity of flowers per lateral stem.—25.        -   Quantity of flowers per plants.—200 to 300.        -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: Average 8 to 10 cm. Depth:            Average 7.0 cm.        -   Tepal.—Tepal margin: Entire, undulate Tepal tip: Sharply            acute. Tepal base: Attenuate. Tepal length: 4 to 5.5 cm            Tepal width: 3 to 4 cm.        -   Color.—Tepals: When opening: Upper surface: Near RHS            Violet-blue 94C with 94A edges Lower surface: Near RHS            Yellow-green 145B with Violet-blue 94A edges.        -   Fully opened.—Upper surface: Near RHS Violet-blue 93D with            89D edges. Center streaks near Violet-Blue 91D, and White            155D. Lower surface: Near RHS Violet-blue 94D with            Yellow-green 150C streaks.        -   Bud.—Shape: Narrow ovate Length: Approximately 3-3.5 cm.            Diameter: Approximately 1.5 cm. Color: Near RHS Yellow-green            145A and 145D.        -   Pedicels.—Length: Average range 10 to 18 cm. Width:            Approximately 0.4 cm. Angle: Average 45° to 80° Strength:            Flexible. Color: Near RHS Green 143A.        -   Fragrance.—None.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Stamens.—Number: Average 30-45 per flower. Anther length:            Approximately 0.4-0.5 cm Anther color: Near RHS Yellow 6A            Anther shape: Oblong Filament length: Approximately 1.5 cm            Filament color: Near RHS Yellow 4D Pollen quantity: Much            Pollen color: near RHS Yellow 6D.        -   Pistil.—Number: 40-50 Length: Approximately 1-1.2 cm. Style            length: Approximately 0.5 cm. Style color: Near RHS            Yellow-green 144C Stigma: Shape: Rounded Color: Near RHS            Yellow-Green 154C.-   Other characteristics:    -   -   Seeds.—Quantity of seeds: 40-50 Seed length: 3 cm Seed            Diameter: 0.4 cm Seed Color: Immature: Near RHS Yellow-green            145A Mature: Between Near RHS Greyed-orange 164A-166A.        -   Disease/pest resistance.—Neither resistance nor            susceptibility to normal diseases and pests of Clematis has            been observed.        -   Temperature tolerance.—USDA zones 4 through 9.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Clematis hybrid plant named ‘STEFAN FRANCZAK’ as herein illustrated and described. 